Love and Other Potions
by ALRose
Summary: When Jackie finds herself in a dangerous situation, only Professor Snape can help her. But when things get more and more heated, can they handle the fire?
1. Chapter 1

This story was inspired by an obsession I've acquired over the past few months. And that obsession is Professor Snape. I'm not sure how it started but when it hit, it hit hard. It also doesn't help, I guess, that I thought Alan Rickman is damn sexy as Professor Snape. But that's me. Hopefully, you the reader are following along because if you aren't (you won't be confused later I promise) you'll miss some info that, although I will be explaining in the story, I'm telling you now. Firstly, Dumbledore didn't die. He and other trusted people went searching for Horocruxes and made it back in time for the Last Battle. Secondly, Snape (obviously) didn't die either. His death, to me personally, was rather unfair but that's a completely different story. And lastly, Fred, Tonks, Hedwig nor Lupin died. These are another batch of characters I felt didn't need to go but again that's just me. Now here's some useless information to get you through your day!

Did you know? A duck's quack doesn't echo. No one knows why.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter. I only own my characters and my plot.

Love and Other Potions

Chapter 1

"This is turning out to be a splendid summer," Jacqueline Thompson a.k.a. Jackie muttered to herself as she listened to Cassie Hepburn whine and bitch as she stocked the supply closet of the Apothecary in Diagon Alley.

How Cassie still had a job here surprised Jackie. Blowing her bangs out of her eyes, she placed one hand under her chin and drummed her fingers, of the other, on the countertop.

Really, the only reason Cassie worked at the Apothecary was because her father asked a favor of their employer Potion Master Tom Gusly.

Cassie's father had told Tom, desperate to get his daughter an 'appropriate' job, that Cassie had received E's on her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s and loved potions. Jackie didn't believe this at all.

One thing, and excuse the sounding prejudice, being that Professor Snape would never give a Hufflepuff an E in his class. The highest they'd get was an A.

And how Cassie couldn't even boil water was another thing all together.

So the fact that Cassie worked at an important Apothecary such as this one and couldn't even touch the jars of certain and 'disgusting' potions ingredients, gave Jackie the chronic headache she got working with the dumb bint.

She winced as a crash of a jar sounded behind her, followed by a disgusted scream. Rolling her eyes, Jackie whispered "_Reparo_," with a wave her wand and twisted on the stool she sat on to lean her back against the counter as Cassie rounded the corner into the central selling section of the Apothecary wearing a short pink skirt that barely covered anything and a grey plunging, too small top. The worst part of this outfit was her four inch electric blue heels.

Jackie really wished the girl would trip and twist her ankle and wouldn't be able to work for months.

"Jackie, darling, would you be a dear and go stock the supply area. I just got a manicure and I don't want to ruin my nails," Cassie said showing Jackie her French tipped nails with a picture of a hummingbird that fluttered from one nail to the other. "I can watch the counter for the rest of the forty-five minutes I'm in this dreadful place."

Biting the inside of her cheek to keep from saying the amount of comebacks that were building on the tip of her tongue, Jackie forced a smile and moved off the stool and grabbed the piece of parchment with the long list of to-do's given to her by Mr. Gusly before he left sick.

Walking back into the supply unit, she stopped and tensed as anger filled her at the little to nothing Cassie had done back here. Breathing out a heavy sigh, Jackie pushed her perfectly curled platinum blonde hair into a ponytail, grabbed the newly fixed jar of sheep's spleen to put it in its place on the shelf and started to sing a muggle song under her breath as she started organizing and restocking the shelves expertly.

She moved from one section of the storage unit to the next. Like any great Potions Master or Apothecary worker (who wasn't Cassie) would tell you, not all ingredients can be stored together. Some require room temperature, others extreme hot or cold, many couldn't be in the light while some needed vast amounts of sunlight. There were even some ingredients that couldn't be exposed to the air at all expect for when they are about to be used in the Potion.

This knowledge lead to a little, unknown to some, tidbit about Jackie was that she had great three passions in life that seemed to flow into one another.

They were, the first obvious: Potions, cooking and Herbology. Cooking and Potions went hand-in-hand, she found. Both relaxing to perform and greatly satisfying.

Even in school, she would sneak out after curfew and cook and bake with the house-elves who welcomed her very warmly every time. She even had some of the elves ask if they could work for her after she graduated.

Her love for Herbology had come from her mother, who had had a small garden in the back of Jackie's childhood home before her parents were killed by Death eaters in the Second Wizarding War.

She had even developed a small hobby and though she did not receive her vocal skills from her parents, it had been her father that made her fall in love with music and singing. Jackie, herself, had a great ton of music both muggle and wizard's.

She also found that singing to her plants, as she continued to grow a garden in her mother's memory, helped them grow fuller and healthier, which was located in a small patch of ground provided for her at the Weasley's Burrow.

After they had taken her in, Jackie had become very close friends with the Golden Trio and their other friends, having been sort of a loner in her years at Hogwarts for up to her fifth year she found it nice to have friends that accepted her and her strange loves.

Neville Longbottom was the friend that she could always talk to about Herbology. They always sat next to each other in class.

When it came to cooking, Ron Weasley was her guinea pig. He was always willing to try her newest concoctions and never had to worry about what he was putting into his mouth.

Hermione Granger may not have a certain love for Potions like Jackie did, but she could always rely on her friend to talk about the different ingredients and would go to the Library and read and study about them.

When it came to singing, she only ever did it for her plants and every once in awhile for family and friends when asked to the point of begging. But Jackie didn't believe she was that great at it.

Though she hadn't believed it until she had accidently been trapped in a small room with Remus Lupin two years ago on a full moon night and the only way to save herself from being bitten, was to sing until the moon went down. Needless to say, it had taken a week to fully regain even her speaking voice and much longer to convince Lupin that he had nothing to worry about now that she had a secret weapon.

He had eventually given in and forgave himself after she had told him not to punish himself over what hadn't happened and to continue on with his life.

She had been determined from then on out to learn as much about the Wolfsbane Potion as she could.

Potions had to be her most favorite thing in life. Hence her job of a year and some few months. Well, that and her major crush on her Potions Professor.

Smiling to herself as she placed jars of rat brains in their place on the shelf, Jackie remembered the approving looks and comments that Professor Snape gave her in her years as a student at Hogwarts.

She had a feeling that if she had not been sorted into Gryffindor, she would have easily became his favorite student years ago.

But now that had probably changed after she had saved his life at the Last Battle and told him he was her inspiration to becoming a Potions Mistress and running an Apothecary.

Jackie shivered remembering the amounts of blood that had soaked her, Snape and the ground.

After Neville killing Nagini and Snape telling Harry about his past and giving him his memories, Jackie had told them to go and fight so that she could care for Snape.

*Flashback*

"GO!" she shouted at a hesitant Harry, as she quickly took off her sweater and used the cleanest side to press against Snape's gaping neck to stop the bleeding. "He will be okay Harry; I'll make sure of it."

Harry looked from Snape to her and back. Sighing, he nodded. "Don't let him die. He deserves to be happy after everything he's been through. Death just wouldn't be fair to him."

Jackie smiled at her friend. "I give you my word I won't let him die. But you need to go make sure that the cause of all this is gone forever Harry."

Nodding and giving her a smile, Harry bounded towards where Voldemort was.

Turning back to her bleeding and unconscious Professor, Jackie quickly performed the spell to stitch back his muscles, tissues and blood vessels. Luckily, the snake had missed his vocal cords and the other important organs of his throat.

It took some time to repair his throat and thankfully, there wouldn't be too much scarring. After making sure he didn't have any internal bleeding, Jackie picked up her cloak and wrapped it in a ball, using it as a pillow for him.

Making sure he was comfortable, she reached for her bag and _accio_'ed three potions. She had always been one to be prepared for anything. So before their sixth year, Hermione and she had charmed bags that were enchanted to hold a large and rather ridiculous amount of supplies.

Grabbing the Blood Replenishing Potion, Jackie gently opened her professor's mouth and poured the potion down his throat. Rubbing his throat carefully, she watched Snape unconsciously swallow.

Repeating the same process with a Pain Reliever Potion and another that killed any infection in the blood, she sat back and sighed blowing her dirt covered hair from out of her face.

She could hear the distant sounds of fighting and felt a pang of guilt that she wasn't out there fighting alongside her friends. But she knew that leaving and letting this man die, would be a worse guilt.

Looking over, she noticed her secret infatuation starting to shiver. Getting up, she casted a Heating Charm on him and felt his pulse and temperature. Finding that both were fine, she studied the sleeping man for a moment.

She didn't see the ugly that everyone always talked about. Yes, he had greasy hair, yellowing teeth and pale hallowing skin; but anyone would be like that if they had had the life he was forced to have. As a wave of sympathy hit her, she closed her eyes to stop the tears and lean forward to place a chaste kiss on his forehead.

"It can only go up hill from here Professor," she whispered against his skin. Moving away, she sat back in her original spot.

-X-

Every so often she'd check on him and give him another Blood Replenishing Potion. But soon, her eyelids became heavy and as she was about to give into the temptation of sleep and close her electric blue eyes, a loud bang sounded at the doorway of where she and Snape were hidden. Standing in front of Snape, Jackie pointed her wand at the door, ready to blast any Death Eater that walked through.

Footsteps sounded as whoever was coming, traveled nearer. Tightening her grip on her wand she prepared to shout a Stunning Spell, when the footsteps stopped before the door and a knock sounded.

Startled, Jackie couldn't help the quick response of "Who's there?" that came from her mouth. Cursing herself at her stupid mistake, she was surprised to hear a chuckle sound behind the door.

"May I come in Miss Thompson?" came the voice of Albus Dumbledore.

"Uh, sure but first, what is your favorite type of jam?" remembering quickly that asking these questions helped when perceiving friend or foe.

"Raspberry. Who do you sing to the most?" the headmaster asked her.

"My plants," she smiled and lowered her wand. "Come in Professor."

Dumbledore waltzed into the room, his eyes shining in amusement before they landed on the bed behind her. Jackie watched her Professor stared shocked at the sleeping man before turning his brilliant blue eyes, shimmering with tears, to Jackie. "You saved him."

Throat tightening at her Headmaster's emotional display, all she could do is nod before Dumbledore stepped forward and embraced her.

"Thank you my dear," he whispered to her. Not trusting her voice, she nodded again as tears fell down her cheeks. Releasing her, Dumbledore smiled and turned his wand to Snape. "Let's get you two out of this cold place and into the castle."

Levitating her Potions Professor, Dumbledore carefully maneuvered him out of the Shrieking Shack with Jackie following behind.

Walking next to Dumbledore, Jackie looked up at him. "Is the war over Professor?"

"Yes," he replied with a relieved sigh. "Harry was able to take down Voldemort when for the third time; the Killing Curse rebounded off of Harry and back to him. Effectively killing the last of the soul of Tom Riddle."

Jackie glanced up at her Headmaster confused. 'Third time?' knowing this was something that Harry would have to explain, she kept quiet and followed Dumbledore into the castle where he told her to join everyone in the Great Hall while he brought Snape to the Hospital Wing.

"I am indebted to you for saving him, Miss Thompson," Dumbledore said as a couple healers from St. Mungo's took the Potions Master off to the Hospital Wing. "And I'm sure Severus will feel the same."

She blushed. "You aren't indebted to me Professor. I would have done that for anyone." 'But mostly just him.'

Dumbledore smiled. "Be as that may, I still am. Now go and find your friends. I'm sure they're worried about you."

Jackie nodded and took off towards the Great Hall. Walking through the doors, she was suddenly enclosed in embraces by Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley, asking rapid fire questions about how she was. When both girls finally let her go, she spied Harry walking over to her with an unsure look on his face.

Wrapping her arms around his waist when he got into grabbing distance, she whispered in his ear that Snape was alive. Jackie felt him sigh and hug her to him.

When they're embrace ended, he led her over to the table where all the Weasley's were seated and everyone informed her what she had missed as she filled her plate full of food.

No one brought up the fact that she hadn't been there to help fight and when she did; she was shot down by angry remarks about how she did something more important by saving Snape's life. Backing down, she let them continue their stories until Madam Pomfrey came up and asked to speak with her privately.

Once they reached a secure spot away from eavesdroppers, Pomfrey informed her that Snape would make a full recovery and was healing fast thanks to her. Jackie was surprised when Madam Pomfrey burst into tears and thanked her for helping him.

Stunned, all Jackie could do was nod.

"Oh and by the way dear, Professor Snape was asking about you when I told him what you did for him," Pomfrey told her. "He wanted me to come find you and bring you to him so he could talk to you in private."

Shocked, Jackie managed to close her ajar mouth and nod again. Smiling, Madam Pomfrey led the way to the Hospital Wing.

Arriving, they walked around the maze of healers and patients until they made it to the last bed that was curtained off for privacy.

Jackie watched as Madam Pomfrey disappeared behind the curtain and heard muffled talking.

After a few seconds, the Mediwitch reappeared and beckoned her forward.

Stepping into the curtain, she watched Pomfrey smile at her and leave her and her professor alone.

Turning to him, she smiled at her fully awake professor. "It's good to see you awake Professor Snape," she said to him as she stood awkwardly at the foot of his bed under his intense gaze.

He nodded to the stool next to him. "Please sit down, Miss Thompson."

She did so stiffly, placing her hands in her lap and staring down at her dirty jeans.

"I was informed by the Headmaster and Madam Pomfrey as to what you did to save my life down in the Shrieking Shack. I wanted to say that I am forever grateful for what you didn't have to do for me," he said watching her.

At his last few words, Jackie jerked her head up and frowned at him. "What do you mean 'didn't have to do'?"

Snape shrugged. For the first time, Jackie noticed the gauze around his neck that she assumed was helping with his healing process.

"I mean that you didn't have to save me. You could have gone with Potter and fought the War alongside him."

Jackie shot up off her stool so fast she knocked it over. "And what? Just left you there to die? There was no way I was just going to leave you there to bleed to death by yourself so that I could fight Death Eaters." Her eyes flashing dangerously as she glared at him.

He narrowed his black eyes at her. "Miss Thompson, there is always going to be casualties in war. Whether we like it or not. My death wouldn't have been as nearly significant as someone else's."

"So what? You wanted me to just let you die? I'm sorry to disappoint you Professor but I'd rather see you alive. Your life is very important, whether you believe so or not, and I'm not sorry I saved you. Your death would have been a great loss." She crossed her arms as she glared down at him.

Snape smirked at her. "That was very heart warmingly Gryffindor of you. No, I do not wish that you had left me to die, I'm actually glad you didn't. Whether you like it or not, this is my way of showing my gratitude."

She stared at him and dropped her arms to her sides. "Well you do have a funny way of showing gratitude Professor. But you're just going to have to put aside my past choices and focus on your future."

He shocked her by giving her a soft smile that sent a wave of heat down her spine to her core. "You will make a great Healer someday Miss Thompson."

Jackie blushed and stared down at her shoes. "Yes well, that career choice isn't in my future. You see Professor, when I said you're death would be a great loss I wasn't just talking about the Wizarding Community. You're my inspiration. I've decided to become a Potions Mistress and hopefully open my own Apothecary," she watched her foot tried to dig into the tiled floor of the Hospital, not wanting to see the look on Snape's face.

Giving into temptation, she glanced up to see the shocked expression he had at her confession. She watched as his reaction turned from shock to a warm smile.

"That, believe it or not, means a lot to me Miss Thompson," he told her.

She nodded and looked back down to the ground blushing. "Well I'd better get back to the Great Hall. I hope your recovery is fast and I'll see you next year," with that said and a quick wave, she up righted the stool and walked out from behind the curtain and started for the exit of the Hospital Wing with a big smile on her face.

*End of Flashback*

Jackie was startled from her trip down memory lane when Cassie came in.

"Jackie there's a customer out there that wants an order of cut up crow's hearts and minced ginger root. Could you do that and help him with whatever else. I don't like him very much and have decided to go home earlier. Hope you don't mind. No? Okay then," she said with a wiggle of her fingers and walked out of the storage and to the back room without giving Jackie a chance to say anything.

Shaking with fury, she grabbed twenty crow's hearts (the number usually sold to customers) from the barrel containing them and chopped them up into even cuts. Wrapping them and stamping the Apothecary seal in the package, she them aside and used her wand to clean her chopping board and knife and hands before grabbing the usual three ginger roots and minced them hurriedly and evenly.

She was shocked that she could do that with how angry she was as she packaged the ginger roots and started for the front where the customer was waiting. Muttering to herself about incompetent co-workers and how she practically ran this place, she started to ring up the customer without even glancing at them. When she looked up to tell them their total, she paused and her eyes widened.

There, standing in front of her smirking, was a healthy and clean looking Professor Snape. Obviously after the war had ended and he had regained his strength, he had started taking care of himself.

His hair was no longer greasy looking, his teeth no longer yellowing and he had even updated his wardrobe from the same black robes he always wore.

He stood in front of her in navy blue robes that covered his, obliviously worked on, physique. The robes had a high collar that covered but didn't completely hide his scar on his neck.

Jackie stared at it a little bit longer than she should have, judging by the way he cleared his throat. She had to fight back the urge to jump him and run her tongue along it.

Shaking herself mentally, she met the eyes of the now grinning Potions Master and cleared her own throat.

"It's good to see you sir. Sorry about the wait on your ingredients. Miss Hepburn can't seem to do anything around here with her new manicure." She knew it was safe to talk about her co-worker to Snape because she was sure he was thinking the same thing about the Hufflepuff girl.

Nodding, he didn't break eye contact. "Understandable. And although your little monologue to yourself was rather entertaining, I believe I remember you saying that you did want to run your own Apothecary one day. Isn't this just practice for you?"

She bobbed her head in agreement. "Yes, but I'd hire people that didn't receive P's on their O.W.L.s and weren't afraid of breaking a nail."

He let out a small 'ahh' as he looked down at her clean short nails that didn't even have clear polish on them. "Very true. It is such a complete waste of Galleons even if you didn't work with Potions."

Jackie chuckled and agreed as she placed his order in a bag and told him his total. After he paid the exact amount, he bid her goodbye and left.

Once he was gone, she placed a hand over her beating heart and let out a breath. Boy did he ever look good.

Shaking herself physically this time, she straightened her white button up blouse, the under bust corset and her grey pleated skirt. After making sure her thigh- high stockings were in place and her knee high lace up high heeled boots were tight, she set an Alert Charm in the door so that she'd know if a customer walked in and started on her long list of duties.

-X-

At nine o'clock, she was finally done and began the process of closing up shop.

Once she had finished, she stepped out of the warded shop and Disapparated to the Burrow and walked up the walkway to the side entrance.

Quietly as she could, Jackie slipped into the warm home and was about to make her way to the staircase and up to hers and Ginny's shared room, when she was bombarded by seven anxious fairies.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa guys!" she said shaking her hands in the air, scattering the fairies from around her. "Give a girl a few seconds before you jump her."

Laughter sounded behind her. Turning, she saw Ron Weasley walking towards her with three muffins in one hand and one muffin in the other.

"Rough day?" he asked tossing her one of the muffins. She nodded and held the muffin up as each fairy to a chunk for themselves. She glared at her orange haired fairy, Gula, take a rather large chunk.

"Yeah, that Hepburn girl didn't do shite today and I was stuck doing everything," taking a bite of the muffin she and Ron started up the stairs. The fairies, having finished eating, were now tangling themselves into Jackie's hair as she followed Ron to his room for their nightly talk.

"They sure miss you when you're gone," he said sitting on the chair by his desk as Jackie sat on his bed and nodded to the fairies. Three of them were braiding a section of her hair while the other four were playing hide and go seek.

Jackie nodded sending one of the fairies playing, tumbling over her shoulder. Having caught her ear in time, the red headed fairy Jackie had name Ira, shook her tiny fist in Jackie's face and dived back into her hair. "Yeah, it's hard being away from them for so long. Once you have familiars as connected as we are, separation of any amount is horrible."

Ron nodded and looked over at his owl Pig who was flying laps around his cage, hooting cheerfully. He turned back to her. "What are you going to do when we go back to Hogwarts?"

"I've already asked Professor Dumbledore if I could bring them for this year and he said it was alright."

Nodding again, Ron got up and went over to sit next to her. "That's great to hear. But they better be careful with all those owls."

She laughed as one of her fairies with pink hair, wings and clothing fluttered over to land on Ron's shoulder and walked as seductively as a six inch fairy could up to his ear.

"Luxuria," she warned. Watching the tiny fairy's shoulders slump down in defeat, Jackie watched her fly back onto her own shoulder and turned back to Ron. "Do you think Hermione would be jealous if I told her Luxuria had the hots for you?"

Ron laughed. "Probably. That fairy is pretty cute," he joked and looked at the pink fairy that was peaking at him through Jackie's hair. She wiggled her little fingers at him making a tinkling noise. "Speaking of Hermione, her and Harry are coming up to stay for the last week."

Jackie nodded. She knew that both of her friends weren't able to come sooner because Harry was too busy cleaning out the Grimmald Place and Hermione was working at her parent's dentistry office. "Yeah, Harry mentioned something about having to ask us all something when we get together. Do you have any idea what it might be?"

He shook his head. "I don't have the slightest clue."

She sighed and stood up. The fairies squealed and held on to her hair for dear life as their mistress straightened. "Well, I think I'm going to call it a night. I'm so bloody exhausted I'm about to fall over."

Ron chuckled and stood to give her a quick hug. "See you in the morning."

She nodded and leaned back from him, only to find her fairy Luxuria had his shirt in her tiny fists and was trying to hold him.

"Hey now," she said and plucked the fairy from her friend's shirt. He just shook his head and waved as she walked out the door and walked down the hallway to her room.

Opening the door, she found Ginny lying on her bed on her stomach reading the latest Witch Weekly. Placing her bag on her own bed, Jackie walked over and lay down next to her.

"Harry's coming tomorrow," she told the redhead who was immersed in an article about beauty charms.

"Mhmm," was her only reply.

Sighing, Jackie grabbed a lock of hair and twirled it around her finger. "I had to deal with Cassie today and she actually worked and did everything for me and then turned into a dog. I always said she was a bitch and now I know it's true."

"That's nice," Ginny said still reading.

Snorting, Jackie sat up and tucked her legs under her. "Snape came in today. Yup, he ordered some potions supplies, told me he loved me and threw me on the countertop and had his wicked way with me because you know it gets me off to hear a guy ask for crow's hearts and ginger root."

Ginny's hand paused as she was about to turn the page. Jackie had to keep herself from laughing as her best friend slowly turned her head towards her, her eyes wide.

She shot up so fast off her stomach; Jackie was almost startled off the bed. "Snape came in today?" Ginny asked a grin stretching across her pretty face.

Jackie nodded and winced when Ginny let out a high pitched squeal.

"Well go on. Tell me everything!"

"There's nothing really to tell," Jackie said shrugging. "He came in and ordered some stuff and left."

Ginny looked like someone had told her Christmas wasn't coming this year. "That's it?"

"Yeah and that he caught me staring at him and didn't seem to mind," said Jackie as she stretched back on Ginny's bed.

"Why were you staring at him? Besides the fact that you fancy him, of course," Ginny pushed.

Grinning at her best friend, she told her about the new Snape that had walked in. By the time she was done, Ginny looked ready to burst with excitement.

"Well obviously he liked that you were staring. I've always known he had a little thing for you. You don't see that he watches you leave the Great Hall and I've heard from Hermione that he watches you more than others during Potions," she told Jackie spinning her finger around in a circle in her friend's face.

Rolling her eyes, Jackie got up and started undressing. "Oh yes, I'm sure he just wants to throw me over his desk in the dungeon and do wickedly good things to me."

Ginny laughed as she plopped back down on her stomach and kicked her feet in the air. "And you would love it and beg for more. Don't even try to deny it."

Jackie glanced slyly over her shoulder after she slipped her nightgown over her head. "Who said I was denying anything?"

"Tramp," scolded Ginny as she threw her pillow at Jackie who caught it giggling and tossed it back. "Now come on, let's get some shut eye so we can wake up early and meet Hermione and Harry in the morning when they come."

Jackie lay back against her pillows and watched her fairies flutter up to the railings above her and softly glow as they fell asleep. "Oh yeah, Harry is definitely _coming_ tomorrow. Especially after you and him sneak out into the garden. But please make sure not to go anywhere near my garden; I don't want my plants defiled."

She didn't see the pillow that flew at her face the second time.

-X-

A/N: The three times Harry deflected the Killing Curse were: when he was a baby, in the forest when Voldemort killed the part of his soul that resided in Harry and when Harry was explaining who the Elder Wand belonged to and Voldemort shot the Killing Curse at Harry but it got sent back. Look it up if you don't believe me.

Also, think of Tinkerbell when picturing the fairies. I'll go into deeper explanation as their parts get bigger. And they're named and have the traits after the Seven Deadly Sins, except their names are the Latin version. Just so you know.

If you liked, review. If you didn't like, review. If you don't get it, review and I'll explain it!


	2. Chapter 2

So I was looking through some old knickknacks of mine when I discovered a small spell book I use to pretend with. I was flipping through it and discovered a 'spell' that can bend bones. The spell called for chicken bones (stripped of meat, preferably leg bones) and vinegar. Apparently, you soak the bones in vinegar for about two days and after that time you take them out and they'll bend like rubber. Well duh they'll bind! Vinegar eats away at calcium and what are bones made of? Elementary, my dear Watson. If that's a spell then slap a pointed hat on my head, throw me a twig and call me a wizard because I'm doin' some serious magic over here! But I will admit the Money Spell worked like a charm. The next day I casted it, I found a twenty dollar bill on the ground. Coincidence? I think not!

Did you know? Sherlock Holmes never said 'Elementary, my dear Watson'. But I just did!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter. I only own my characters and the plot.

Love and Other Potions

Chapter 2

The next morning, Jackie had barely anytime to greet Hermione and Harry when they arrived before she had to leave for work.

On arriving at the shop she found, to her immense pleasure, that Cassie had the day off and that Mr. Gusly was back but still not looking very well. She spent the next half hour trying to persuade him to go to St. Mungo's but he wouldn't have any of it.

So as a compromise, he agreed to work the counter while she checked on his potions, brewed orders, stocked the shelves and cleaned.

Mr. Gusly wasn't too thrilled about not doing anything all day but after a well placed threat to contact his wife; he stopped complaining and let her work.

When it was about mid afternoon, Jackie was able to get Mr. Gusly out of the store and on his way home after promising to take care of everything.

"You better take advantage of this now Mr. Gusly. After I return to Hogwarts it's just going to be you and Cassie here," she told him as she helped him put on his traveling cloak.

She repressed a giggle when she watched her employer shudder.

"Alright, alright. Until you return to school, I'll take it easy. There are you happy?" he asked her as he placed his brown bowler hat on his balding head.

Jackie grinned at him and reached up to kiss his cheek, making him flush. "Very. Now go home, take a Pepper-up Potion and get some sleep."

He nodded to her and walked out the door.

After he was out of sight, she walked back behind the counter and began filling out orders from the owl post to do later on.

As she wrote up her fiftieth order, she was startled at the sound of the chime above the door sounding. Looking up from her parchment, she was shocked to see Lucius Malfoy standing in the door way looking around.

Spotting her staring at him, Lucius strutted over to the counter and thrust out his hand towards her. In his fist he held a parchment that she slowly took.

"That is a list of the ingredients I require from your shop. Be a dear and let Mr. Gusly know right away so that I may have it completed and leave," he told her looking down his nose at her.

Her eyebrow rose as she looked at him. "My apologizes Mr. Malfoy, but Mr. Gusly isn't in today. He was here earlier but wasn't feeling well. If you'd like, I could complete your list for you and have you on your way in no time."

Malfoy's lips thinned out more than usual. "Not here you say? Well then I guess I'm going to have to let you get my things for me since I don't really have another choice do I?"

She smiled sweetly at him. "No, sir you don't." Getting up she straightened her royal blue robes and told him she'd be back with his ingredients momentarily.

Walking in the back, she rolled her eyes at his stuck up attitude. But what did she really expect from the father of Draco Malfoy?

Looking down at the sheet he gave her, both eyebrows flew into her bangs. As she scanned the list, her mind started to connect each ingredient together and the result of what could be made with such ingredients shocked her.

'Why did Lucius Malfoy want to make a Lust Potion for?' she wondered as she gathered each ingredient and began manipulating them into the exact amounts prescribed on the list. Some of the ingredients on the list had been scratched off; leading Jackie to believe Malfoy had already purchased these earlier in Knockturn Alley.

After finishing in record time, Jackie grabbed a bag and put the ingredients inside. Before she left, she took out her wand and made a copy of his list for her to research later.

She had read about Lust Potions before but the ingredients he was buying, if it was for a Lust Potion, was different than the ones she had read about.

Making her way out, she folded her copy in her robe pocket and walked over to the counter to add up his total.

When she told him it, he looked at her coldly. "I have a special account set up here that will automatically take the funds from my Gringotts vault. Tell me girl," he sneered at her and leaned towards her over the counter. "Is today your first day or are you daft?"

She forced a smile. "Neither sir. I just didn't know Mr. Gusly set up accounts like that with his customers. I won't make the same mistake again."

He nodded at her answer. "Let's hope not. Good day," and with that, he waltzed out of the shop.

Dropping her smile, Jackie scowled at his retreating figure. "Get that stick out of your ass," she muttered as she turned towards the staircase that lead upstairs to Mr. Gusly's office.

Entering, she went straight to his collection of Potion books that had to do with Love and Lust Potions, she collected all the ones she could find and brought them down to the main area of the shop.

Placing them on the floor next to her stool, Jackie grabbed the first and set it on the counter and started flipping through it hoping to find any Lust Potion with the same ingredients as the one Malfoy was making.

After flipping through her fifth book, Jackie sighed and shut it. Placing it on the pile of 'done' books she was about to grab another when the door opened.

She looked up to see Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione walk in. "Hey guys," she greeted them as they made their way over.

"Hey Jackie," Harry said coming behind the counter to give her a hug. "Anything interesting happen in the world of Potion ingredients?" he asked looking down at the stack of books around her.

"Actually now that you mentioned it, something interesting did happen," with that she began to tell them about Lucius Malfoy and his strange order.

"And it wasn't like any Lust Potion I've ever heard of, so I decided to do some research," she grabbed the list from inside her robe and passed it to Hermione.

"These are very complicated ingredients," she commented, her eyes shifting over the list. "It has all the makings of a regular Lust Potion except for these three ingredients," pointing at the three crossed out.

Harry, Ron and Ginny read the three over her shoulder.

"Basilisk venom, Veela saliva and Siren tears? That's a weird combination," Harry said looking up at Jackie.

"That's what I thought. But all I can say is that nothing good can come from Basilisk venom in any potion and I feel sorry for the poor soul that has to drink it," she sighed shaking her head.

"Well duh, it's not good. We are talking about Malfoy," Ron said rolling his eyes.

Jackie snickered.

As it turns out, not only had the four come to see her at work but Ginny and Hermione were there to pick up Potions ingredients for school. The boys had decided not to take N.E.W.T.s level Potions this year.

After collecting their things and paying for them with Jackie's employee discount, the four left to collect the rest of their school supplies.

Jackie promised to join up after she got off work in an hour when Oliver Bobbin (his father was the owner of the Apothecary in Diagon Alley and others just like it) came in for the evening shift.

While she waited, Jackie went back to the books from Mr. Gusly's office. But she didn't find any with the three strange ingredients listed together.

She did, however, find one that added Siren tears to the mix but all that did was make the effects of the potion heighten considerably for the drinker and make the drinker irresistible to anyone within a ten foot radius.

Taking out a blank piece of parchment, she quickly copied that specific potion to the parchment. Just as she finished the door opened again and Oliver strolled in.

Oliver, a Ravenclaw like the rest of his family, had started to work for the family business after graduating Hogwarts three years ago. And ever since she started work, Jackie had had a small crush on him.

But she found that she always had a crush on someone with the same passion for Potions as her. But sadly, Oliver didn't want to follow in his family's footsteps with the line of Apothecaries but wanted to work for the Ministry with something that Jackie had tuned out after hearing he was giving up Potion making.

Never the less, the small crush was there. No one could blame her really. Oliver was a handsome young man with bright brown eyes and curly dark brown hair with a charming smile. But she knew for a fact that he fancied Cassie, another discredit as far as she was concerned.

"Hey there Jackie," he greeted as he walked over to the counter. His eyes widened at the sight of her small mountains of books around her. "Wow, already studying for school?"

She snorted. "Hey Oliver, and no I'm not studying for school. Actually a costumer came in today and as for a strange array of ingredients to make a Lust Potion that I've never seen before," she told him as she placed her book on the counter and passed him the list of ingredients.

Oliver took it from her and scanned it. His eyebrows scrunched together when he read the last three ingredients.

He looked up at her. "Are you sure it was for a Lust Potion? They could have been making the Lust Potion plus something else with the last three."

She nodded. "I thought that at first but I found a Lust Potion that involves Siren's tears," Jackie handed him the book that was opened to the page she had been reading.

Jackie watched him scan the ingredients and procedure before making a small sound of confusion.

"I've heard of a Lust Potion that uses Veela's saliva before but I'm not sure about what it does besides making the drinker irresistible to any males around. I don't know what would happen if you combined the saliva and tears together but I do know that anything with Basilisk poison in any potion means death for the drinker."

"Could you send me a copy of that potion you found with the Veela's saliva?" she asked him as he handed her back the book.

He nodded. "Yeah but why all the curiosity?"

She shrugged. "If I want to be a Potions Mistress one day, I want to know as much as I can about every potion I encounter."

Oliver smiled at her. "Ah yes, I remember you telling me that. Well once you get your license maybe you can take this old Apothecary off my hands."

Jackie grinned at the suggestion. "What ever would your father say? And what about Melinda? Doesn't she want to work in the family business?"

He shook his head. "No she wants to go into the field of charms like me and my love for Transfiguration. My father is a bit sore about it since we're his only kids and only way of continuing the business and we don't want to. I'm sure if I mention you, he'll be glad to sign everything over. Father's always had a soft spot for you," Oliver told her while flicking her nose with his finger.

She wrinkled her nose away and smiled. "That would be a dream come true."

Grinning, Oliver tapped the book with the same finger. "But until then, I'd suggest asking Professor Snape to help you with your mystery once you've returned to Hogwarts," he glanced at the clock. "And now it's time for you to go."

He grabbed her shoulders and whisked her off her stool and pushed her gently towards the door.

"But what about the books?" she asked him looking back at her pile.

"I'll clean them up and don't worry, I'll be sending that book with the Veela's saliva as soon as I find it," Oliver made a shooing motion with his hands making Jackie laugh and wave goodbye.

As soon as she walked out the door, Jackie turned left to Florean Fortescue's Ice Ceam Parlor and had told her friends to meet her there she was done with work.

She looked down at her robes and pulled out her coin purse. Counting to make sure she had enough, she was about to put it back into her pocket when someone shouldered her hard, knocking her to the ground.

"What the -," she looked up at who had knocked her down. 'Great,' she thought as she got back up without the help of the person in front of her.

"Oh so sorry mudblood," Draco Malfoy spat sarcastically at her. "You should watch where you're going next time."

Jackie glared at him. "Malfoy, I'm surprised they let you out in public with that big head and ugly mug. Where are you off to? Scaring young children?

Draco humphed at looked down his nose at her. "You better watch it mudblood, your friends aren't around to protect you."

She smirked. "Don't worry about me Draco. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need bodyguards like you do."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You best watch your back Thompson. You'll regret ever meeting me."

Rolling her eyes, she walked around him. "Trust me Draco, I already do. That day would have been so much better without you in it." With that, she walked off to meet her friends knowing that Malfoy didn't have the balls to attack her in a crowded street.

Making it to the ice cream parlor, she scanned the area for her friends and found them at the last table on the right.

She waved back at Ginny who noticed her and made her way over and sat down between Harry and Hermione.

"Hey guys," she said smiling at each of them as Hermione took out her wand and let off a Freezing Charm that was on the chocolate sundae in front of her. Shoving it towards Jackie, Hermione waved at the look on her friend's face.

"Harry bought it for you. I've just been keeping it cool," she said with a shrug.

Jackie glared at Harry who grinned back at her. "So did you find out anything else about the Lust Potion?" he asked changing the subject.

She nodded before taking a bite of her sundae. "Yes, Oliver came in and after I told him about it, he informed me he had read about a Lust Potion with Veela saliva and promised to send it to me. But until then, he said to ask Professor Snape," she told them after swallowing.

At the mention of Snape, Ginny and Hermione grinned at her.

"Ah yes," Hermione purred at her while bumping Jackie with her shoulder. "Ginny told me about your run in with him. About ready to jump him yet?"

Harry and Ron groaned at them.

"Do we really need to talk about how hot," Ron shuddered. "Jackie thinks Snape is?" Harry asked.

Jackie giggled at the boys' discomfort as Ginny and Hermione glared at Harry and both responded 'yes' simultaneously.

"But anyway, I'm going to wait until after I get that book from Oliver and do some research in the Library before going to Snape," she turned to Hermione. "Wanna do a Library crawl with me the first Saturday back?"

Hermione nodded as the other three groaned. "And after we can do homework if we have any."

Jackie nodded and changed the subject.

"So Harry, what was it that you wanted to talk to us all about?" she asked.

Harry grabbed her spoon and took a bite of her sundae before answering. "Well since I've been fixing up the Black house, I was wondering how you guys felt about moving in after we graduate Hogwarts? And of course Ginny can after she's done. It just going to be me there for a while and this way you guys can save up before getting your own place."

Jackie immediately raised her hand. "I'm in!"

Ron nodded. "That sounds brilliant. I'm in as well."

Hermione smiled. "Wonderful idea. With our careers after Hogwarts, we may not get to see each other very often so living together well help."

"And three out of five of us already live with each other so that will be no problem and I've shared a dorm with Hermione so I know her habits. I'm sure living with Harry shouldn't be all too bad," Jackie said shrugging.

Harry lifted an eyebrow. "All too bad?"

She just grinned at him.

Ginny clapped her hands once. "Well it's decided. We're all moving in with each other!"

They all cheered before stealing bites from Jackie's sundae.

"Hey!" she shouted defending her sundae with her spoon.

-X-

It wasn't long before the day arrived for the five of them to return to Hogwarts.

After making sure she had everything, Jackie shrank her trunk and placed it in her pocket. Grabbing Legba's cage, she whistled for her fairies to climb into her hair.

"Now remember guys, you have to stay hidden once we get to the train station but when we get on the train you can come out okay?" she said to her fairies. They all nodded before zooming into her hair that she kept down.

Grabbing Legba, who was in his cage, she made her way out of hers and Ginny's room and into Ron's where he and Harry were stuffing their things in their trunks.

She laughed at them from the doorway as Harry stood with his arms on his hips glaring at his trunk while doing a mental checklist in his head. Ron was just shoving anything in sight that he thought he needed.

Harry closed his trunk and took out his wand. Shrinking the trunk and stuffing it into his back pocket, he grabbed Hedwig's cage and went to stand next to Jackie.

"Ron we leave in five minutes. Hurry up," Jackie said walking in the room and grabbing Ron's owl Pig's cage for him.

"Alright, alright," he said grabbing his new broom he had received for his birthday and placing it in his trunk, he pulled out his wand and casted the spell to shrink his trunk. Once he had, Jackie handed him Pig and the three left for down stairs where the others were waiting.

"Have you everything?" Mrs. Weasley asked them as they descended the staircase. They all nodded, Ron having to say 'yes' out loud when Mrs. Weasley gave him a dirty look.

"Alright let's head out," Mr. Weasley said and they all loaded into a Ministry car that Mr. Weasley had rented for today.

Arriving at the train station, they parked the car and got out. Making their way through to the barrier for Platform 9 3/4, they said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and walked through.

Once they saw the train, they each pulled out their wands and trunks. Enlarging them and placing them along with the owls in the storage area, they made their way on the train and down the hallway to find an open compartment.

They passed by Malfoy and his gang in one of the compartments. Once he saw who was walking by, he gave them a rude hand gesture to which Jackie returned.

A few compartments down, they saw that Neville and Luna were waiting for them. Walking in, they all greeted each other before the girls sat on one side and the boys on the other.

As the train started moving, Harry Ron and Ginny started a game of Exploding snaps, while Hermione read a book she had brought with.

Jackie brought her hands up into her hair and started pulling out each fairy, one by one. As they started floating around the compartment, she heard Luna and Neville gasp at the sight of them.

"Those aren't Cornish pixies are they?" Neville asked watching the fairies closely. He yelped and jumped up when the golden haired fairy, Avaritia, tried reaching into his pocket and stealing the Galleons that were in there. She managed to grab one and bring it over to Jackie, who took it back and handed it to Neville which made Avaritia pout.

"No these are Vice Fairies that are native to Italy, right Jackie?" Luna guessed as Jackie's blue haired fairy, Acedia, flew into her open hand and curled up for a nap.

Jackie nodded before looking over and watching as Luxuria floated to Ron's shoulder and sat down. She leaned over to Hermione and elbowed her softly in the side. When she looked at her, Jackie nodded over to Ron.

"Looks like you have some competition," she said laughing. Hermione looked as well and snorted.

"I'm not worried," she said shrugging. "That fairy wouldn't be able to make him something to eat so she wouldn't last long."

Jackie tilted her head back and laughed hysterically. "True! So true!"

The rest of the train ride consisted of small giggles every time one of them looked over at Ron's shoulder.

-X-

After changing into their school robes, Luna turned and handed Acedia to Jackie so that she could place her back into her hair.

"Jackie, is Crookshanks okay with the fairies? He won't try to hurt them will he?" Luna asked looking at Crookshanks who was watching Jackie's hair move around with his tail swishing from side to side.

Jackie nodded causing small squeaks to sound from her hair. "Yes, he's okay with them. They get along well. I just have to see if Mrs. Norris will be okay with them once we arrive," she said as the train came to a stop.

Getting off the train, they all headed for the carriages, waving over at Hagrid quickly as he called the first years over to him. Once they were in the carriage, it was off and up the path to Hogwarts.

Arriving, they got out and walked up to the front steps where Filch was standing with Mrs. Norris in his arms.

Jackie stopped a few feet from Filch as the rest of the students walked in and towards the Great Hall. She looked over to find Filch watching her with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Did Professor Dumbledore tell you about my fairies?" she asked as sweetly as she could to him. She had always tried to be on his better side, that way she wasn't a target on his 'I hate all students' list.

He nodded while petting Mrs. Norris's head. The cat was watching her with interested red eyes. Meowing softly, she leaped from Filch's arms and strutted over to Jackie, where she twisted and curled around her legs as she stared at Jackie's hair where the fairies were peaking out.

Jackie looked up to where her friends were and smiled. "You guys go ahead, I won't be long."

"We'll save you a seat," Harry said as they turned and followed the rest of the students into the castle.

Turning back to Mrs. Norris, Jackie called Ira to her. The red headed fairy fluttered up to her and landed on her outstretched hand. Getting down on one knee, Jackie called to Mrs. Norris and waited until the cat had put her front paws on Jackie's thigh before lowering Ira to her.

She and Filch watched as Mrs. Norris stared at the fairy, Ira glaring back as if daring the cat to do something, before purring and rubbing her head against Jackie's hand.

Jackie smiled and watched as all the fairies fluttered down to pet Mrs. Norris.

"Just make sure not to mistake them for your prey okay?" Jackie said to the cat before scratching under her chin. Mrs. Norris meowed before running back to Filch.

Standing up, Jackie told the fairies to wait with Legba and turned to Filch and thanked him before going up the stairs to the Great Hall.

Several heads turned once she walked in and out of the corner of her eye she watched as Snape pause in his conversation with Professor Flitwick, to see who was coming in. Smirking slightly, she fast walked over to where her friends were sitting, saying hello to some people as she passed by.

Sitting on the bench, she smiled happily at Harry and the others just as the Great Hall doors opened again and they all watched as Professor McGonagall led the first years up to the Sorting Hat.

After the Hat sang its yearly song and the first years were sorted, they began to devour the delicious feast.

But it felt like time passed all too soon when Professor Dumbledore stood and announced it was time to make their way to their respectable common rooms.

As all the students started for the Entrance Hall, Jackie was suddenly shoved into Harry. Catching herself on Harry's robes, she turned and glared as Malfoy and his lackeys laughed.

"Pay attention to where you're walking mudblood," he said sneering at her.

She was about to retort when Snape came up and leered at them all. "What is going on here?" he asked staring at Malfoy.

Malfoy smirked at Jackie. "Just informing Thompson that she should watch where she's walking before she runs someone over."

Jackie opened her mouth again but was cut off by Snape.

"From where I stood, it seemed she was walking just fine Mr. Malfoy. She would not have had a problem if you hadn't pushed her. Twenty points from Slytherin."

Malfoy's jaw dropped while the Gryffindors laughed as they walked by and up to their common room.

They could hear Malfoy and Snape bickering as they walked away.

"'From where I stood, it seemed she was walking just fine,'" Ginny copied in a deep voice, Hermione snickering beside her.

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Yes meaning he saw Malfoy push me into Harry."

"No meaning that he was watching your cute bum walk out the door," Ginny said wiggling her eyebrows.

Jackie stared at her before going starry eyed. "You think my bum is cute?" she asked rubbing her bum on Ginny's leg, making Harry laugh.

"Gorgeous darling, gorgeous," Ginny replied and linked arms with Jackie and Hermione. The three skipped their way to the portrait of the fat lady.

-X-

Chapter two is done! I had to change a bit of the first chapter and the plot because it wasn't working for me and I was getting really bad writer's block because of it. It's no longer going to have so much singing as I had first planned but a couple songs because it just works out with the new plot. But I couldn't fix the first chapter and not give you a second! So here you go and I hope you enjoyed it. Now all you have to do is review and the third installment will be underway.


	3. Chapter 3

So just for the hell of it, I went on to see the stats of people visiting my stories and I did not expect what I saw! Most of the hits went to this story Love and Other Potions. And that's a shocker to me because I didn't think it was doing that great… well, I was definitely wrong huh? I was even more shocked to see all the different countries that visited this story. Of course most were from the USA (which is where I live if you didn't know… probably don't care or it was obvious) and I was expecting some hits from Canada and the United Kingdom but it was the others like France, Netherlands, Japan, Germany, India, Malaysia, Australia and last but certainly not least Hungary that shocked me the most! I feel so very honored that you guys would read my story and other stories if you have. Had I known this awhile ago, you readers would have gotten more chapters! But now you don't have to worry about that because I'm going to write tons more! If I could ask a small favor; once you're done reading this chapter, review it and also tell me where you're from. Not the town or city just the country. But for people in the USA put the state. I'm not a stalker I promise (I don't have the money to be one) I'm just curious about who reads my story/stories. That's all I want I promise! Now for your personal favorite! USELESS KNOWLEDGE!(Using capital letters to make it seem more important…)

Did you know? The male gypsy moth can "smell" the virgin female gypsy moth from 1.8 miles away. (Why travel all that way when there's a slutty moth a couple yards away? This is a very important question! By the time he finds the damn virgin, he'll be too tired to do anything!)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Just the characters I created.

Love and Other Potions

Chapter 3

"No! Why do I have to ask him?" Jackie whispered furiously, slamming her quill on the Library table. It was Friday night of their first week back at Hogwarts and already they were up to their ears in homework. Well, Harry and Ron were, since Hermione and Jackie actually kept to the homework schedule Hermione had come up with the first night. Now they were in the Library finishing up so that they had the whole weekend to themselves. "Give me three good reasons why I should," she said crossing her arms across her chest.

Harry snorted from where his head was buried in a Transfiguration book. Ron didn't seem to notice anything around him as he furiously tried to finish his Charms essay. Hermione rolled her eyes. "Because one, he likes you. Two, you want to open an Apothecary so studying different ingredients of difficult potions is something you feel you need to do and what you already do and three, he likes you. It's not like he'll say yes for me," she said giving Jackie a 'you're being ridiculous look.'

Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Okay I said give me three _good _reasons not one good and two questionable reasons why Snape would say yes to giving me a pass to look in the Restricted Section for dangerous potion books."

"Jackie, we all know he's going to say yes so stop arguing," Harry said looking up at her. "Once Ginny gets here, you'll be able to go since she's in his last class."

Pouting, Jackie slouched against the back of her chair. "I hate you all."

Her two friends just rolled their eyes at her. Ron was still scribbling away.

Soon enough, Ginny came strolling into the Library and over to their table.

"He was headed for his office," she told Jackie, who huffed but rose from her chair. "If you're not back in an hour," Ginny winked at her. "We won't disturb you."

"Again," she said as she walked around the table towards the door. "I hate you all."

They did nothing but laugh as she walked out of the Library and in the direction of Snape's office. As she practically stomped her way down a couple hallways she couldn't help but curse her so called friends for all this.

"Stupid peer pressure," she mumbled looking down at the ground. Sighing, she shook her head and glanced up to see she was right outside his office door, only to be smacked in the face by a green haired fairy.

"Thanks Invidia," her words mumbled as the trembling fairy held on to her lips. Jackie gently pried her off, only to be smacked again by Gula. "Seriously?" she yelled as the orange haired, slightly overweight, fairy picked herself off of Jackie's face and smiled innocently at her mistress.

Grabbing Gula, Jackie looked up at the sound of small voice in Latin was yelling at her. Looking up, she saw Ira pointing down a hallway and practically blowing a tiny blood vessel. "Calm down Ira, now what happene-," she stopped as a group of four Slytherin first years ran up the hallway towards her. "Now I understand."

The boys stopped a few yards from her and watched as Gula and Indivia hid in her hair, Ira was floating besides Jackie's ear with her arms crossed.

"Those your fairies?" one of the boys with short brown hair asked her nodding to the fairies.

She nodded. "Yes and why are you boys chasing them?"

They all had a grin on their faces that made Jackie clench her fist around her wand. "We just wanted to have a little fun with them," another boy with blonde hair said. Jackie felt Invidia shake harder as the boy's eyes turned to her, a sinister look in them.

Jackie crossed her arms with her wand in plain sight. All four boys took a step back when they saw it. "But from what I know of Slytherins, is that their form of fun means torment for others. And I'm not going to stand here and let you boys torment innocent creatures for your own enjoyment," she said a bit more loudly than she had been talking.

The blonde haired boy looked at her questionably while another boy with reddish-brown hair growled at her, reminding her of a puppy. "Just give us the damn fairies, you stupid Gryffindor!"

"Johnson, Williams, Michaels, Carrington," a deep voice sounded behind Jackie. All four boys' eyes widened at the person behind her. "I do believe that Miss Thompson here, made it clear that she is not going to hand over her own fairies. And your incessant whining is doing nothing but getting on hers and my own nerves. Five points from Slytherin each and detention tomorrow night," Snape told them coming to stand three inches behind Jackie's shoulder. She had to fight down a shiver that threatened to overcome her.

The boys slumped their shoulders and turned to go down the way they came, the reddish-brown haired boy glaring over at Jackie, who just smiled and waved.

"Now why were you making such a fuss outside my office Miss Thompson?" he asked her as she turned and looked up at him.

"Besides those boys trying to torment my fairies?" she asked.

He nodded and turned his attention to Ira who was now fluttering up to look at him. Snape held his hand out letting the fairy land on his palm. Ira turned and winked at Jackie, making her snort.

Snape looked at her questionably. Hiding her smirk the best she could, Jackie told him the reason for being there.

"I actually wanted to come and talk to you about something before I was stopped," she told him while he studied Ira.

Nodding, he turned and motioned for her to follow him into his office. Walking in, she looked around at the various jars full of different objects that sat on shelves on his walls. She smiled as she identified the names of three-fourths of the rare potion ingredients.

Taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, she watched as he walked around to sit in his chair and put Ira down on his desk where she walked over to sit on his ink pot.

"How was it that you came by this fairy Miss Thompson?" he asked her.

"Actually," she started taking Invidia and Gula out of her hair, wincing when Invidia wouldn't let go at first. "There are seven of them, the Vice-."

"The Vice Fairies," he finished watching as Gula and Invidia flew over to his desk. Invidia staying closer to Jackie than the other two.

"They actually came to me when I was staying at the Leaky Cauldron after my parents died," she said watching her fairies instead of her professor. "A rather strange wizard was trying to sell them to a witch that wanted to feed them to her cat so I unlocked the cage they were in and just happened to be 'walking'," she said using air quotations. "Out the door so that they could escape. I didn't know that the person that saves them becomes their master until I got to Gringotts and one of the goblins pointed out I had seven fairies in my hair. After that, we were inseparable."

"Very interesting fairies," he said watching as Ira pushed Gula off the ink pot that she tried to sit on and laughed a twinkling laugh at her fallen friend but stopped when she saw the look on Jackie's face. "They do not attach themselves to just anyone I heard."

Jackie nodded. "Yeah, I found some books about them that said they attach to someone of pure heart and talent. I'm still foggy on what the book meant by talent."

"From what I've read of their masters, it's someone with a talent for handling nature. Like your Herbology and Potions skills," he added seeing the look of confusion on her voice. "Is it true they sing?" he asked.

She nodded again. "Only when I sing to my plants in my little garden that I have."

Snape nodded before linking his fingers together and looking at her over them. "So what exactly is it that brings you here Miss Thompson?"

Jackie swallowed nervously before answering. "Well, as you know I work at the Apothecary in Diagon Alley," she paused looking at him. At his nod, she continued. "And since I would like to open my own, I want to know as much about as many potions and their ingredients as I can. And before I came back to Hogwarts, there was a customer that came in with a strange list of ingredients he wished to buy but there was one in particular I wanted to do more research about. So I was wondering if you would let me have a slip to research more about it in the Restricted Section," she said in one breath.

He watched her for a moment before grabbing a slip of paper. Writing down something, he handed the paper over to Jackie, who took it with a surprised look on her face. Reading what he wrote, she found he had given her permission for both Saturday and Sunday.

Smiling, she thanked him and stood up. Her fairies flew from Snape's desk and into her hair. Thanking him again, she turned to leave but was stopped at the sound of her name being called.

"Just out of curiosity, what is the ingredient you are so curious about?" he asked her.

Jackie looked at him while biting her lip. Hoping silently he wouldn't revoke his permission, she told him. "Basilisk venom."

Snape's eyebrow rose. "That's a strange item to sell in an everyday Apothecary."

"Well," she said shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "We don't carry it but on the list he had, it was crossed off like he had bought it someplace else," she said leaving that statement in the air.

He nodded in understanding. "And now you're curious as to the possible potions he could use it in?"

Jackie nodded. "Yes, have you heard of any using that particular ingredient?"

"I have but nothing good comes from a potion that has Basilisk venom," he told her. "Only a rare few didn't involve death."

"That's what I was thinking," she said. Holding up the permission slip, she smiled. "Thank you again Professor."

Snape nodded before gesturing for her to leave. Giving him a quick wave, she left his office with a large smile on her face.

When she was a few feet away, she booked it for the Library; her fairies hanging on for dear life. Skidding to a halt outside the Library doors, she took a deep breath and walked in and towards her friends that were chatting about some homework.

She startled them by slamming the permission slip down on the table between them, earning her a 'shh' from Madam Pince. But she was too excited to notice.

"I got it!" she told them sitting in her chair.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I told you you were going to get it!"

"Not only that," Harry said reading the permission slip, his eyes wide in surprise. "He gave her permission for Saturday _and_ Sunday." Ron whistled lowly in amazement.

"What?" Ginny and Hermione asked taking the slip from Harry and reading it. They both looked up and grinned at Jackie.

"What?" she asked opening her potions book.

"Do you believe us now that he likes you?" Harry asked.

Jackie scoffed. "That little slip of paper doesn't mean he likes me. You're all off your rockers."

"Jackie if it had been me, he would have only given me fifteen minutes if I was lucky," Hermione said.

"Somebody likes you," Ginny told her in a sing-song voice.

Jackie rolled her eyes. "I hate you all."

-X-

That Saturday morning, Hermione and Jackie were reading all the potion books they could find and writing down notes about things that could be of great interest to start with. But by the time lunch rolled around, those potion books weren't helping at all. Not even the potion book they had found about different venoms and their uses in different potions.

Blowing a lock of hair from her face, Jackie looked up and over at Hermione. "Shall we go and try the Restricted Section?"

Hermione nodded and together they walked over to Madam Pince, their notes in hand.

Giving her permission slip to Pince, the librarian nodded and let them in.

"Is there any books in particular you were looking for?" Madam Pince asked.

"Um, any potion books pertaining to the use of venoms," Jackie told her as Madam Pince started leading them to where the potion books were held.

"Preferably rare venoms," Hermione added as they turned into a section of books.

Madam Pince nodded and waved her wand over the books as to make them safe for the girls to read. "These books right here," she said tapping her wand against the spines of four books. "Are the ones that deal with more rare venom use but the rest on the shelf and the shelves above and below deal with more known venoms in potion making."

They nodded and thanked her as she walked away.

"Well," Jackie said walking over to a small table in the Restricted Section. "How about we read the specific books first before the others."

Hermione agreed and together they read. It wasn't until they were on the last book of the rarer venoms did Hermione find something. Jackie leaned over to read with her.

"It says here that Basilisk venom is most commonly used to make Command Potions," Hermione read while Jackie wrote it down.

"Command Potions?" Jackie asked. "I've never heard of those kinds of potions before."

Hermione shook her head. "Neither have I. The book also says that Command Potions also need Siren tears to be added along with the Basilisk venom because it was found that Siren tears reverse the affects of the venom the same way Phoenix tears do."

"Yes but Phoenix tears can heal any kind of wound and venom," Jackie said thinking back to when Harry told her about how he almost died from Basilisk venom in his second year, had it not been for Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's phoenix.

"And the ingredients for a Command Potion aren't anything like the ones Malfoy was buying," Hermione said running her finger down the list. "Except of course the Basilisk venom and Siren tears."

"Hmm," Jackie pressed her lips together. "Now I just have to wait for that book of the Lust Potion with Veela saliva from Oliver before I go and ask Professor Snape about all this."

Hermione nodded before handing the book over to Jackie to finish copying the information down. "How about we go get some lunch for now and come back later to see if we can't find anything else?"

Jackie nodded while finishing up writing. Once she was done, she handed the book to Hermione, who put it away, and started putting her things in her bag. Together they walked out of the Restricted Section and told Madam Pince they would be back later.

Madam Pince nodded before turning back to the book she had been reading.

After leaving the Library the two girls left for the Great Hall where they met up with Harry, Ginny and Ron who had just came back from quidditch practice and informed them of what they had found.

"A Command Potion?" Harry questioned as he scooped mashed potatoes on his plate. "What does that have to do with Lust Potions?"

Jackie shrugged. "We don't know. We're going back later to see if there's any more information on Command Potions. All we know is that you can make them very easily with everyday potion ingredients except, of course, the Basilisk venom and Siren tears. Those would be a little harder to come by."

"I've read somewhere that Siren Tears have been used for the Elixir of Life," Hermione said suddenly. She was pressing her fingers to her temples and rubbing in slow circles. "I'm trying to remember what book I read it in though."

"Wasn't it when we were looking up information on Nicolas Flamel?" Ron asked with a mouth full of food. Everyone turned to stare at him in shock as he swallowed his food. "What?"

Hermione smiled before grabbing her boyfriend's face and giving him a quick kiss, making him blush beet red. "You're a genius Ron!" she told him. Ron grinned and put his arm around Hermione's shoulders.

The other three shook their heads before eating.

-X-

After eating, Jackie and Hermione were joined by Harry and Ginny (Ron thought he contributed enough and went to play chess with Seamus).

They looked through the book Hermione had found on Nicolas Flamel and they found that Siren tears were in fact used to make the Elixir of Life because of their qualities to expand one's life but were incredibly poisonous to anyone drinking the tears by itself. Usually, the simplest way they were taken was when they were mixed with the waters of the Fountain of Youth*.

But they weren't able to find anything else on Command Potions since Hogwarts had a limited selection.

Jackie sighed knowing that she would have to ask Snape about it now. Ginny tried to help by saying that now Jackie would get some more alone time with him, making Jackie roll her eyes.

The next morning, Jackie was surprised when a brown owl plopped down in front of her with a package in its claws. Thanking the bird and giving it some toast, the owl flew off while Jackie opened the letter attached to the package.

The letter was from Oliver saying that he had found the book about the Lust Potion that included Veela saliva and that the book should be helpful and interesting to her. He also asked about what she had found out so far and how school was treating her thus far.

She snorted at the last part. She knew he had probably been smirking when he wrote that since he knew how seventh year was. Making a mental note to write back, she set the letter aside and unwrapped the book.

Opening it she found he had bookmarked the Lust Potion for her. With a mental 'aww' she nudged Hermione and together they read about the potion.

Apparently this particular potion not only affected the drinker but any male around them. But the drinker had to be female in order for the potion to work.

The affect on the female was like that of the muggle drug ecstasy in which the female's sense of touch becomes four times as sensitive and her sex drive becomes very high. And because the potion has Veela saliva, any male within a twenty foot radius becomes instantly attracted to the female.

Jackie looked up shocked and into the equally as shocked eyes of Hermione. After reading aloud the affects of the potion to the others, there was a moment of silence.

"So there's a possibility that Malfoy was buying ingredients to make the most powerful Lust Potion known to Wizarding kind and also might be making a Command Potion?" Ron asked stunned.

Jackie nodded staring at the book. "It's possible. But the better question is why?"

"Do you think he's making the Command Potion to get someone to drink the Lust Potion?" Harry asked.

"That's also possible but we don't know enough about the Command Potion to say that's right because we don't know what else is needed for it or how to administrate it besides what the books in the Library said. And those won't go into much detail for just students," Jackie said flipping through the pages of the book.

"And there's also the possibility that Malfoy could blend both potions," Hermione threw out. They all turned to look at her but she just shrugged. "I read about combining two simple potions to make one powerful potion but I don't know if it's possible for two complicated potions like the Command and Lust Potions."

Ginny grinned at Jackie. "Looks like you're really going to have to talk to Snape about it."

Jackie glared at her before sighing. "Yeah I know. But I want to get all this information together before I do," she said putting the book Oliver gave her into her bag and stood up. "I'll be in the Library if any of you need me," she told them before heading out of the Great Hall.

Arriving at the Library, she found a secluded section and sat down. Pulling out all her notes and fresh parchment, Jackie began working on organizing all the notes she and Hermione had collected.

After she was done and had written down the hypothesizes Harry, Ron and Hermione had came up with, she grabbed another sheet of parchment and started on a letter to Oliver.

Once that was done, she left the Library with a smirk as she pictured Oliver's face when he read her letter and made her way up to the Owlery.

On her way there, she paused to laugh as Crookshanks ran past her with four of her seven fairies on his back; Mrs. Norris trailing a ways behind with the other three on hers. Shaking her head at her fairies antics, she continued on.

As she was about to enter the Owlery, the entrance was blocked by a body. Looking up, she rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips as Draco Malfoy smirked from his place in front of her.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite Gryffindor," he said crossing his arms against his chest and leaned against the doorframe.

Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Favorite Gryffindor huh?"

Draco grinned. "Favorite to torment that is. You're nothing but mud on my shoes Thompson."

She snorted. "Right. Well if you're done trying, but not succeeding, to hurt my feelings; I think you should go," she told him before flashing a fake smile and bumping past him.

Only to have him grab her by the arm and spin her around. He was about to take a step closer when she pointed her wand at his neck.

Looking down at the wand and up at her face, he sneered.

"You better watch your back. One day you'll get yours mudblood."

Jackie rolled her eyes while keeping her wand pointed at him. "Just how many times are you going to say that stupid threat?"

He said nothing. Smirking, he looked her up and down before turning and heading out.

She kept her wand pointed at the door until she couldn't hear his footsteps anymore before turning and looking around for Legba.

Finding him next to Hedwig and Pig, she walked over and pulled out a bag of owl treats. Pulling out some, she fed the treats to the three owls before holding out her arm for Legba.

Tying the note to his leg, she told him where to take it to. He gently nipped her cheek before taking off.

Jackie watched him until he was out of sight before sighing and turning to leave.

Now all she had to do was wait until Monday to talk to Snape about what she had found. She scowled at the feeling of butterflies in her stomach before shaking her head.

She really needed to stop hanging around Ginny so much. She was turning Jackie into a love-sick school girl.

-X-

A/N: This chapter took less time than any I've ever written! You're welcome by the way. Hopefully you enjoyed it immensely and will review it to make me feel special!

Don't forget to tell me where you hail from. If it's the USA, which state? Don't worry, I won't come find you. Even if I could do that, how would I find you? I don't know what you look like, the city you live in or your address so you don't have to worry. And I also don't have the ways to find all that out so even if I wanted to, I couldn't.

By the way: The * meant that I used a bit from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The part where they mixed the mermaid's tears with the water from the fountain. But I'm using Sirens instead because there's merpeople in the Black Lake by Hogwarts. Sirens are a bit harder to find.

But review and the wait for Chapter 4 will go by a lot faster!


	4. Chapter 4

So I said in my little author's notes in one chapter that I would be going from story to story and writing a chapter for each one before jumping to the next story. Yeah well that didn't turn out so well, so far. I'm just getting bombarded by this story and wanting to write and write and write, which is great news to you as the reader. And I'm still writing for my other stories but this one has had two chapters in two days while my story Fate Stepped In's third chapter is still only half way done. I'm still writing the others as I write this one but you get the jest of what I'm saying right? Anyway, enjoy chapter four!

Did you know? The electric chair was invented by a dentist. (That would make a great spin off to the Sweeney Todd movie don't you think? A dentist electrocuting all the people he didn't like. Well I think it's a good idea.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (I just know a lot about it). Just the characters I created.

Love and Other Potions

Chapter 4

As Sunday morphed into Monday, the morning came quickly but getting through it was a different story. No matter how many times she told herself not to, Jackie couldn't stop glancing at the clock.

Sighing for the hundredth time, she leaned her head against Harry's shoulder in History of Magic their second to last class before lunch. She felt him put his head on hers and smiled.

"Does this class seem longer to you?" she asked using her wand to make her quill dance. She felt his shoulder shake as he chuckled.

"It only seems longer because you're anxious to talk to Snape," he told her.

She stuck her tongue out at him, making Harry shake his head. "I'm surprised you aren't like Ron when it comes to me and Snape," Jackie told him looking up at him.

Harry smiled. "Things change when you know more about a person," he said referring to the memories that Snape had shown him. After that, Harry had nothing but respect for the man and everything in the past seemed like it no longer mattered.

"Yeah I still remember the first time I told you guys about liking him," Jackie said giggling.

She told them about her secret crush during the first week of summer before their sixth year.

*Flashback*

Jackie fidgeted nervously as the others talk about quidditch in the background of the Weasley's home. The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't stop as she mental prepared to tell her new friends about her most kept secret.

Ginny, who she had already confided in, looked over and gave her a supporting smile. Jackie smiled back before clearing her throat to get everyone's attention.

"Guys?" she started staring down at the table between them. "I've been meaning to tell you something." Over the past year of becoming friends with the Golden Trio, she had learned many things about her new acquaintances. But she hadn't been able to open up to them just yet.

Hermione had been the first to open up about herself to Jackie, confiding many of her secrets to the blonde. It also helped that they live together at Hogwarts. Once the two boys had seen how close the girls were, they started to open up as well.

Jackie and Ron found that it was easier to talk about things over food, a common interest they shared. Now every time Ron or Jackie needed to talk to the other, one of them would have food waiting which lead to their nightly talks that they still had to this day.

Usually Jackie would notice something wrong with Ron and make his favorite pastry snack (something that had a ton of chocolate) and after eating a few, he would open up about what was bothering him.

Harry, however, had been a bit trickier to get closer to but once Jackie found her opening, she took it and the two became almost inseparable. Her opening, as it were, was the death of Harry's godfather Sirius.

For a while Harry wasn't able to talk about his inner most feelings and not able to tell someone that he felt he was losing everyone until Jackie had had enough of seeing her friend mope around. Having lost both her parents at the same time right in front of her, she knew of what he was going through.

So she did the only thing that made the most sense. She grabbed her friend by the arm, took him into a room and screamed at him about how Sirius wouldn't want him to be acting this way.

Because Jackie herself hadn't known the Golden Trio and friends for that long, she hadn't confided in any of them just how her family had died. That is, until she was yelling at Harry.

She had told him that instead of beating himself up about something he couldn't fix, he should try thinking about all the good times they had had. How happy Harry had been to learn he had a godfather and the truth about the man. And how happy Sirius was now that the people that mattered knew the true story behind who had really betrayed Harry's parents.

It was then she told him about her own story and that the only thing getting her through was remembering everything about her parents, the good times and the bad times. Keeping their memory alive through herself.

Jackie had watched from where she had stood in front of Harry, who had been sitting on the bed, with her hands on her hips trying to catch her breath. She had just finished yelling her life story at him and now her throat was going raw.

He had started nodding to himself, though she wasn't exactly sure why.

"But seriously Harry, do the dead ever really leave us?" she remembered repeating the words Professor Dumbledore had told her after she was taken from her parent's house.

Apparently those were the golden words because his nodding stopped and he looked up at her shocked. Before she knew it, he was hugging her and telling her everything.

This, of course, led to a crying fest for Jackie as they spent the next few hours telling each other everything.

But her secret infatuation had never came up until that summer.

"What is it Jackie?" Harry asked looking at his friend curiously.

"You know how we've told each other everything, every secret to one another?" she looked up to see them nod. "Well I have one more that I haven't shared. Ginny already knows."

The Golden Trio looked over at Ginny who smiled. "She told me about ten minutes ago to see my reaction."

Hermione turned back to Jackie. "What is it?"

"Is it some secret crush?" Ron joked not knowing he was right.

Jackie sighed and brought her knees to her chest. "Yeah it is. I've liked him since first year."

"Is it someone from Gryffindor?" Harry asked. She shook her head.

"Ravenclaw?" Hermione guessed. Jackie again shook her head.

"Hufflepuff?" Ron asked.

She sighed again. "Slytherin."

Ron and Harry groaned. "Please tell me it's not Malfoy," Harry pleaded to her. "I don't think I'd be able to be nice to him just because you liked him."

Jackie made a disgusted face to which Harry sighed in relief. "No it's not Malfoy."

"Blaise Zabini?" Hermione guessed again.

"No."

"Crabbe or Goyle?" Ron joked.

"Eww no! On both counts."

"So who is it?" Harry asked her wanting to know.

Jackie looked back down at her knees. "Snape."

There was silence before both Ron and Harry started laughing. But they both shut up after the Stinging Curse Ginny sent at them and also the look on Jackie's face.

"You're serious?" Harry asked in awe.

She just nodded looking close to tears. Hermione got up and went over to her and put her arm around the blonde. "Don't worry Jackie," she told her while rubbing her arm. "I support you. You can't help who you like. I mean, look at who I like."

Jackie, Harry and Ginny all cracked up at that while Ron sat confused.

"Who Viktor?" he asked only succeeding in making the four laugh harder.

"But seriously, Jackie. If you want to like Snape that's fine by me," Harry told her putting a hand on her knee. "I may not understand why but I'll accept it."

Jackie smiled at him before reaching over and hugging him.

"Yeah how can you actually like him?" Ron asked. "He's like twice your age."

Shrugging, Jackie smirked. "A lot of girls like older men."

"I know that but he's a right git," Ron said earning a glare from his sister and Hermione.

But Jackie only laughed. "Yeah to you guys, but he's been nothing but nice to me."

Hermione suddenly gasped. "So are you the one that had a house elf bring him Valentine's Day candy to his office every year?"

Jackie blinked at her. "Yes. But how did you know that?"

"I heard McGonagall talking about it with Flitwick third year," she told them. "She said that it was always the same elf that delivered it with the same saying and that by our second year, he stopped making sure someone wasn't poisoning him. She said it was adorable that a student had a small crush on him."

Jackie stuffed her face in her hands. "Damn it."

"Aww that's so cute!" Harry cooed at her, laughing when she swatted him away.

"Did you also get him a Christmas present too?" Ron joked looking ready to explode with laughter.

Jackie glared at him. "Yes and also Halloween and Easter candy. WHAT!" she screamed at the laughing boys. "It's what you do when you like someone. Think about what Ginny did on Valentine's Day her first year!"

Ginny and Harry shivered as they remembered the dwarf that sang to him in front of the whole school.

"Yes well that was only one time, one year," Harry stated.

Grumbling, Jackie crossed her arms and glared at them, not too happy about sharing her secret with them now. "I hate you all."

Ever since then, it's been jokes and teasing between them ever since. But on the brighter side of things, everything was now out in the open between them.

*End of Flashback*

She was jolted from her thoughts when the bell rang. Harry laughed at her jump.

"Have a fun trip down memory lane?" he asked as they both said good-bye to Hermione, who was on her way to Arithmancy and Ron on his way to Divination (he was only taking it because it was an 'easy class'). While Harry and Jackie made their way to Care of Magical creatures (which has gotten loads safer), never noticing who had walked out of their office and was now behind them.

"So you never did say how your trip was," Harry started as Jackie linked her arm through his.

"Fantastic. I'll be going again next fall," she told him pretending to trip and trying to take him down with her. Of course his years on the quidditch team helped his upper body strength, so she was unsuccessful.

He snorted shaking his head. "Was it just you telling us about liking him or more?"

"More," she told him. "Like about telling you about my parents and then the candy…" she let him think of the rest. It didn't take long before people were looking at them strange as Harry was trying to walk while laughing.

"Shut up!" she told him while elbowing him in the ribs.

"I-I r-remember that!" he stuttered out trying to catch his breath.

"Duh, it was only a year ago," she reminded him as she rolled her eyes.

"Are you ever going to tell him that you're his secret admirer," Harry asked her, as the person who was suppose to turn down their hallway continued to follow after hearing candy and secret admirer.

Jackie shrugged. "I might write him a note at the end of the year telling him everything."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't he know where you work?"

"Oh yeah."

He snorted. "I can see him showing up one day after we leave Hogwarts and demanding to know why you left him the note."

"Ugh, don't even say that! I'll think of something," Jackie said as they made it passed the Great Hall and towards the entrance to the grounds.

They both jumped at the sound of the bell and at Snape's voice behind them.

"Potter and Miss Thompson, don't you have a class you're late for?" they turned to see him standing a few feet away from where they stood.

"W-we were just on our way Professor," Jackie said staring at him in confusion. Snape stared at her before nodding to her and giving a look to Harry before turning to walk towards the dungeons.

Once he was out of sight, Harry and Jackie started towards Hagrid's cottage.

"Wasn't Snape a ways from the dungeons?" Harry asked as they treaded across the grass.

"Maybe he was in the Great Hall?" Jackie guessed as they spotted their class outside while Hagrid explained what was happening in class today.

"That can't be. Lunch isn't until after this class," he reminded her as they stopped a couple feet from the group listening to Hagrid.

Jackie grabbed Harry's arm. "You don't think he heard do you?"

"Even if he did, we didn't say his name or give good enough clues for him to know it was him we were talking about," Harry said.

"Ah, candy and secret admirer may have gotten a few wheels turning," she said starting to become nervous.

"Jackie I really don't think he heard. Maybe he was coming from another direction and saw us talking. Don't stress over this until he flat out asks if it was him you were talking about," he told her trying to calm her down.

Taking a deep breath she nodded. "Alright but I'm extra nervous to talk to him now."

-X-

That nervousness held through the rest of her classes. Luckily she didn't have Potions today, so she got off easy in that sense. Somewhere during Herbology she had forgotten all about being nervous to talk with Snape until she was in the Gryffindor common room after her last class and Ginny walked in saying he was still down in the dungeons.

She gulped before nodding. Walking up to her room, she dumped her school books on her bed and grabbed her notes from where they sat on her night stand and placed them on her bag. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she left and was about to walk through the portrait hole when Harry called her back.

She turned to see him walking up with the Marauder's Map in his hand.

"Just in case when you get there, he's not there," he said smiling. She thanked him and put the map in her bag as well. Turning she pushed open the portrait only to hear Ginny yell something behind her.

"Don't have too much fun," she shouted as the portrait swung close.

Rolling her eyes, Jackie started for the dungeons.

Before she knew it she was right outside the door. Grabbing the Marauder's Map, she checked to see if he was in there and sure enough he was. Nodding to herself, she replaced the map and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

She heard him call 'Enter' and took another breath before opening the door and peaking in.

Snape was standing over a cauldron stirring the contents and looked up to see who was at the door.

"Sorry if I disturbed you Professor," she said walking in fully into the room and closing the door. "I was just wondering if I could talk to you about a couple of things pertaining to when I asked permission to research a potion ingredient."

"Ah, yes," he said nodding and walking away from the cauldron and behind his desk to sit in his chair. He gestured to the chair in front of him for her. "Why don't you tell me what you've found so far and then I'll fill in the holes."

'Uh oh,' she thought as dirty innuendos filled her head. Giving him a nervous smile, she walked over and sat down.

"Well to begin with, this all started when a customer came in with a list of ingredients he wished to purchase. Also the amount of different ones caught my attention," reaching over, she took out the list of ingredients from her bag and handed it to him.

She watched as he scanned the list and his eyebrows scrunching together. He looked up and laid the list on the desk in front of him.

"Continue," was all he said. She guessed he wanted to hear everything before saying anything so she did just what he asked.

"So after the customer left, I started going through my manager's potion books about Lust Potions as was what most of the ingredients made," she said nodding to the list. He nodded his agreement. "I did find one that also used Siren tears but it wasn't the same amount of ingredients like the one I assumed they were making. It wasn't until I was talking about it with my co-worker that he told me of a Lust Potion he had read about that used Veela saliva."

Snape smirked. "Yes that's one of the more stronger and potent Lust Potions."

She nodded. "That's what I found out when he sent me the book he had read it in. And the ingredients on the list matched the ones in the book," she reached again into her bag and took out the parchment she had copied the Lust Potion on and handed it to Snape who compared the two parchments on his desk.

"I see, and what have you discovered about the Basilisk venom you were researching?" he asked pointing to it on the customer's list.

"I read about the common use for it was in something called a Command Potion," she told him and watched as he rose from his chair and towards a bookshelf. Grabbing a book, he walked back and sat down.

"What did you find about Command Potions?" he asked as he opened the book and began to flip through it.

"Not much besides being the most common potion that using Basilisk venom and that it also requires Siren tears because they have been found to counteract the venom. Also that it can be made with everyday potion ingredients besides of course the venom and tears," she told him while resting the urge to lean forward and look at the book he was scanning through.

"That was all you found?" he didn't say it in ridicule; it sounded more like he was making sure.

"Yes, the Hogwarts library didn't go very much into detail about the potion. It listed the ingredients for it but not the amount or the procedure needed to make it for varies reasons," she said with a small laugh. "I'm guessing the potion makes the drinker do whatever the brewer wants, like the Imperius Curse?"

Snape nodded before looking up at her. "In a way the Command Potion is like the Imperius Curse but it does not force the drinker to do the brewers bidding. When someone is under the Imperius Curse, free will is no longer a factor. The curse affects more of the person's cerebellum or a person's movements. The person under the spell does know what they are doing but is powerless to stop it and must do whatever the caster wants. The Command Potion however, does not affect any part of the brain expect for Occipital Lobe when the command is given because they actually see the command they must perform. The person who takes the potion must fulfill the order given or the Siren tears will not take affect and the venom will kill them. So you see the drinker does have a choice not to fulfill the command, only the reward is death."

"But how is the command given to the drinker? Does the brewer just say it?" she asked intrigued now.

"No," Snape said shaking his head. "Are you familiar pensieves Miss Thompson?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes, Harry told me about them," by the look on Snape's face, that wasn't the brightest thing to say. But he seemed to have ignored it for now.

"So you know that a memory or thought can be taken out of one's head then?" at her nod, he continued. "After the Command Potion has made it to the final stage of its brewing, the brewer then begins to add the commands to it, as one would do to a pensieve."

"So they just think of what they want someone to do and then place it into the potion?"

Snape nodded. "Exactly, or at least a vague description of their command. Let's say I was making the potion and I put in the command for you to do your homework into the potion, once you drank the potion you would see the command I placed in and have to complete it."

Her eyebrows rose. "Is there a time limit before the Siren tears will no longer take affect?"

"Depending on the command," he told her. "If I were to give you the potion to do your homework, it wouldn't start until you receive the command but it is until you actually start your homework, or in general the command given, would the Siren tears begin to counteract the venom. As soon as you are finished, the tears will have taken out all the venom but if you stop and refuse to do anymore before the tears act out the venom, the venom will take over and you will die."

"So if I didn't get to my homework after the command was given, there's a chance I could die before even starting it?" she asked. At his nod, she scoffed. "That sounds horrible."

He smiled at her. "This is why the potion is illegal to make."

She suddenly remembered the theory Hermione had come up with. "Sir, is it possible to combine the Command Potion with, say, the Lust Potion?"

Snape watched her for a moment before nodding. "It's a common practice to combine a Command Potion with another potion. It makes it easier to transform a not so compliant person into a more compliant one."

"So the brewer would just have to add the Lust Potion to the Command Potion after they added the commands?" she asked.

He nodded again. "That's exactly what one would do," he closed the book he had opened and put her two parchments on top before handing them all over to her. "If you would like, you can borrow and read this book. It has a full chapter on Command Potions and the different potions that a brewer can mix to it."

Jackie took the book with a smile. "Thank you so much Professor. And thank you for talking to me about this. It's really interesting."

He smiled at her. "As is the world of potions Miss Thompson. I have no doubt you'll ever get bored with it," he looked over at the clock on the wall. "It would appear to be almost dinner time. You may borrow that book for as long as you like as long as you take care of it."

She nodded as she stood up and placed the book and parchments into her bag. "I will Professor and thank you again," with a wave, she walked to the door and out of the classroom.

As she made her way up to the Great Hall, Jackie couldn't shake the big smile that seemed to be permanently on her lips.

-X-

During dinner, she informed her friends on what Snape had told her and they were just as shocked as she had been.

"That's some serious stuff," Ron said shaking his head.

Hermione agreed. "No wonder it's illegal to make, it sounds horrible."

Harry snorted. "Yes but when has illegal ever been a second thought to Malfoy?"

Jackie nodded. "Very true. Snape even let me borrow a book that talked more in detail about the Command Potion."

"Wow, wow, wow," Ginny said shaking her hands back and forth in front of her. "Snape let you, a student; borrow a book from his private collection?"

"Yeah, why?" Jackie asked.

"Um hello! Earth to Jackie! That really means he likes you," Ginny told her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Jackie sighed. "Will you get off that? All it means is that he trusts me enough to know I won't damage his property."

"Yes but Jackie, Snape would never let Hermione borrow one of his books and we all know she practically has a book fetish," Harry said.

Hermione turned and glared at him. "I don't not have a book fetish!"

"You practically do," Jackie said nudging her.

This caused Hermione to huff and turn her wrath on Jackie. "Don't you start with me."

Jackie threw up her hands. "We never said it was a bad thing."

"Yeah Jackie has a Snape fetish so just be glad yours isn't as bad," Ron said laughing until a glob of mash potatoes hit him square in the face.

Everyone around them erupted into laughter as Ron cleaned off his face. Jackie bowed to the people who applauded her. She even snuck a glance up at the teacher's table to see Snape smirking at her.

She did a little dance in her seat as a smile crossed her lips.

That night she started reading the book Snape borrowed her and learned that it only took two weeks to brew the Command Potion and had a life of two months but it took six weeks to brew the Lust Potion because of how powerful it was but that potion only had a two week lifespan.

She shuddered thinking of who the person was that Malfoy's father was making to potion for. All she knew though was she felt sorry for the poor soul.

-X-

A/N: The next few chapters you'll be seeing more of the plot entering the story. I'm sure some of you have some good guesses as to what is going to happen. Review and tell me what you think is going to happen and in the chapter (possibly 6) that it will happen, I'll tell you if you're close, far off or right on the money. Which means chapter 6 is going to take a bit of time unless I get about 10 guesses as to what might happen. Even if you have more than one guess, that's okay. But I would like 10 different people with at least one guess. It's all I ask!

And if you haven't already, tell me where you're from. I've got a Missouri and a Michigan so far (SHOUT OUT!) so keep them coming!

Also, **erica lynn rawr**, no YOU are spectacular for reading my story and reviewing! And I appreciate that you think I'm getting Snape's character down. I have some difficulty in what he's going to do or say because he IS just so complicated! But I'm glad in your eyes, it's good!

Until next time!


End file.
